Mr. Lynn Postel, a resident of Pasco County since 2002, was awarded the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award on December 5th, 2020.This is the most prestigious award given by the FAA to the most distinguished pilots. The criteria required to attain this award include the rigorous qualification of 50 years of flying experience, and maintaining his certificate without any serious incidents. A circumstance that results in the revocation of any airman certificate will disqualify the pilot from receiving this award. Additionally, the recipient must be a U.S. citizen and hold either a Civil Aeronautics Authority (CAA) or a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) pilot’s certificate.
Fresh out of high school, Mr. Postel went into the U.S. Navy, where he served for 20 years. He spent 14 of those years as a helicopter rescue aircrewman. While stationed in Japan during the Vietnam War, Mr. Postel’s wife Karen, saved enough money to pay for his private pilot certificate. Mr. Postel was totally unaware that his wife was doing this. Mr. & Mrs. Postel returned to the United States and settled in Chula Vista, California. One day his wife asked if he could get an afternoon off. She took him to Brown Field, near San Diego. He had no idea what was coming. An instructor came out asking if he was ready to go. He replied, “Sure. Karen are you going with us?” She replied “No, this is for you.” Mr. Postel noticed that the instructor took an inordinate amount of time pre-flighting the aircraft but he didn’t question him. He was told this after the first take-off this was the first lesson of the private pilot program. That started everything.
Upon attaining his private license, Mr. Postel used his G.I. Veterans Education Benefits to start his Commercial training. The Postels were transferred to Kingsville, Texas where he completed his Commercial certificate, multi-engine rating, and his Certified Flight Instructor certificate. Next, they were transferred to Norfolk, Va. Here Lynn completed his instrument rating. He added an Airframe & Powerplant mechanic license to his resume while there.
Upon retirement from the Navy, Mr. Postel became employed by Boeing Helicopters in Philadelphia, Pa. While learning the Boeing systems and waiting for his family to arrive, Lynn attained his private and commercial single engine sea ratings. (Lynn could now teach seaplane flight). When assigned to Bell Helicopters in Arlington, Texas as a Field Service Engineer, he was able to add his private, commercial, and Flight Instructor ratings in helicopters.
Lynn flew helicopters while stationed on Guam for five years. Upon retirement to Florida, he added his private, commercial and Flight instructor ratings in Gliders. Mr. Postel has been an active flight instructor since 1974. Over 4,000 of his more than 6,000 logged hours have been spent in teaching others to fly. Lynn was a Major and a check pilot for Civil Air Patrol for over 20 years. Lynn was the primary instructor for American Aviation in Brooksville for 9 years. Now at age 75 he is still an active pilot, a flight advisor to EAA Chapter 1298 in Brooksville and still loves to fly even if only “hanger flying” with his friends.
